Ikea just lowered its delivery fee

Ikea is a great place to turn for simple, modern furniture and housewares at affordable prices. But if you’ve ever been left questioning your purchase based on the delivery fee, you’re certainly not alone: The furniture retailer’s notorious for its expensive delivery charges, but that’s finally changed!

Ikea has lowered its delivery fee for large items to $29 to $59, which are flat rates that vary based on “demand and distance from the closest Ikea retail store to your shipping address.” The delivery fee for small items is $9.

The flat rate means that no matter how many items you order, you’ll pay the all-new, lowered rate for delivery. Another major perk is this delivery fee covers bringing the furniture into your home—not just leaving a huge box at your front door. Furniture lovers, rejoice!

If you recall, Ikea’s delivery fees previously started at $99, making the shipping almost as expensive as some purchases. That’s why even people who loved Ikea’s designs avoided shopping at the store.

One potential customer suggested the retailer add more store locations:

Ikea needs to either lower shipping costs or have more locations… or both! Ha

So, why were the Ikea’s delivery fees so high in the first place? Well, back in 2012 the company told the Huffington Post that the higher charge resulted from the desire to offer a flat-fee for delivery.

“Ikea wants to offer the best delivery rates to all customers,” Michael Witthauer, marketing specialist for Ikea Direct, told the publication via email. “In markets further from our store locations, we offer flat delivery rates that are higher then [sic] those in store markets; this is due to the cost to make these delivers [sic. These flat rates mean that [the] customer can order an entire bedroom or living room set for one low cost.”

That makes sense when you’re having several pieces delivered (say an entire bedroom set, as Witthauer suggested). But for customers making smaller purchases, the delivery fee was often cost prohibitive.

Thankfully, that’s all changed. So, if you’ve been putting off a redecorating project because you didn’t want to pay $99 for shipping, now’s the time to go ahead and make those Ikea purchases!

About the Author

Augusta Statz

Augusta Statz holds a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She's an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. She feels the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what she spends most of her time writing about. Learn More.